How Ryan Trahan used his following to raise over $11 million for St. Jude
Aug 20, 2025 [[read-time]] minute read
When Ryan Trahan and Haley Pham set off to hit 50 states in 50 days, little did they know that they’d help raise over $11 million for St. Jude.
Their initial goal for the journey was to raise $1 million, a milestone they reached within just two weeks. After 50 daily videos, we sat down with Ryan to learn more about his journey and how his YouTube community rallied together along the way.
50 states in 50 days is quite the undertaking. Why did you choose to embark on this challenge and support St. Jude.
I’ve always wanted to do a road trip across America with Haley. After seeing the impact of the 2022 Penny Series, I have been motivated to use my platform for good again. As Haley and I traveled across the country, we were consistently moved by the support for St. Jude patients and their families. It was so motivating to see that every new state unlocked brought in more donations and directly translated to one less family bearing the burden of treatment costs.
This challenge, similar to your Penny Series, is a prime example of leveraging YouTube for social good. Why do you think the campaign worked so well on the platform?
I am passionate about creative marketing, and I think that has translated really well into fundraising campaigns. My goal for my fundraisers is to make them innovative, entertaining, and interactive. A generous $50,000 Wheel of Doom donation impacts St. Jude, but it also dramatically affects the next video that so many viewers are excited to watch. It’s a win-win!
“That's the unique power of YouTube, you can be your authentic self, and your audience embraces that. And I think now brands are starting to see the power of that too.”
The "Wheel of Doom" was a unique way to engage your audience. How did that idea come about, and what are some of the most memorable "penalties" that resulted from it?
I love gamifying otherwise mundane scenarios. It makes everything more fun! I asked myself “if a 50 state road trip was a board game, what would be some of the traps along the way?” and that ultimately led to the Wheel of Doom. The most memorable penalties for me are “The Split” where Haley and I had to find separate paths to the next state, and “Jammy Time” where we had to wear our pajamas all day. They both created some lifelong memories and the audience really looked forward to them.
“In many ways, this series was designed a lot like a traditional TV show. It gave viewers a predictable structure every day.”
More and more people are watching YouTube on their TV (average viewers are watching over 1B hours of YouTube content on televisions daily). How did that influence the way you created this series?
Haley and I love watching YouTube on TV. In many ways, this series was designed a lot like a traditional TV show. It gave viewers a predictable structure every day. It has the same theme music, routines, and focus in every episode, but enough conflict to keep you on the edge of your seat. Haley and I happened to wear the same outfits every day like a cartoon character would. All of this allowed for families to have their comfort show all summer long where the stresses of the day can melt away for 20-40 minutes.
Along the way, big names and brands (like Survivor host, Jeff Probst) got involved. How did that come about?
The creator community really showed up for this, coming together to contribute to this project in a way that felt incredibly special. We got to hang out with other creators like Doctor Mike and Nick DiGiovanni. And Jeff's video still gives Haley and I goosebumps. But, this series wasn't designed to attract celebrities or brands, it happened organically. For example, my beard grew on the trip and that led to razor companies getting involved. That's the unique power of YouTube, you can be your authentic self, and your audience embraces that. And I think now brands are starting to see the power of that too.
It’s clear – when YouTube creators and their fans unite, their potential is limitless. The latest initiative for good? MrBeast and Mark Rober have joined forces for #TeamWater, and creators worldwide — including Ryan — are enthusiastically participating.